Electric elevating-machine



(No Model.) 3 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. E. BYRNE.

ELECTRIC ELEVATING MAGHINE. No. 404,895: Patented June 11, 1889.

q M 2 a to 0 -i' K a E sm :2 g

A/lT/VESSES: w

(No Model.) I s Sheets-Sheet 2; J. E. BYRNE.

ELECTRIC ELEVATING MACHINE, No. 404,895. Patented June 11, 1889.

WITNESSES: v INVENTOI? (No Model.) s Sheets-Sheet 3.. -J. E. BYRNB. ELEGTRIG ELEVAIING MACHINE. No. 404,895. Patented June 11, 1889.

'W/T/VESSES;

/ I WQMW N. FUERS PhulwLilhngmplm. Washiugknn, D C.

- UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JAMES EDWVIN BYRNE, OF BROOKLYN, NEWV YORK.

ELECTRIC ELEVATlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 404,895, dated June 11, 1889.

Application filed January 5, 1889. Serial No. 295,553. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JAMES EDWIN BYRNE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Elevating- Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in elevating machinery, in which a rotating drum operates in connection with cables, which, being attached to a suitable car, gives it upward or downward motion, automatic top and bottom and intermediate safety-stops operating in conjunction therewith; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to substitute electric motive power for those now in use; second, to substitute in place of the present safety mechanical arrangements-on the machine for automatically reversing the motion of the elevator-car at the top or bottom of the hoistway, or at an intermediate point, if the car should meet an obstruction in its descent, thereby causing the car to stop in the hoistway and the hoisting-cables to unwind from the drum, and commonly known, respectively, as automatic top and bottom stops and automatic intermediate stop, automatic stops that operate in connection with electric circuits; third, to provide a form of machine that can be operated in a simple manner by means of electric circuits and a switch in the car; fourth, to substitute for the mechanical arrangements for operating the brake an electrical device which is operated from the switch in the car; fifth, to provide a means of automatically reversing the position of the switch at the top and bottom of the hoistway, thereby reversing the motion of the car and preventing accident, thus forming additional top and bottom automatic stops; sixth, to substitute for the present elevatormachines with winding-drums one more simple and eflicient, and especially adapted for passenger service. I attain these objects by mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of the machine with hoisting-cables wound on and leading up from winding-drum. Fig. 2, Sheet 1, is an end elevation of the machine with hoisting-cables wound on and leading up from mechanism for reversing it.

winding-drum. Fig. 3, Sheet 2, is a top view of the machine with hoisting-cables wound on and leading up from winding-drum, in connection with a side elevation of the top of the elevator-sl1aft,with parts broken away, and the elevator-car, with parts broken away, showing the switch in connection with automatic This figure also shows a diagram of the electric-circuit connections between the car-switch, the automatics, and the electric motors, together with their make and break contacts. Fig. 4, Sheet 2, is a section of one side of the bottom of the elevator-shaft, showing safety-stop attached. Fig. 5, Sheet 1, is an enlarged view in side elevation of the brake andmechanism with electric motor for operating same, the rest of the machine being broken away. Fig. (3, Sheet 1, is an enlarged view, in plan, of the brake and mechanism, with electric motor for operating the same, the rest of the machine being broken away. Fig. 7, Sheet 1, is a side elevation of the intermediate stop mechanism and the wii'iding-drum and machine-base, the two latter being with parts broken away. Fig. 8, Sheet 3, is a diagram of the electric wires and their connections detached from the machine and in connection with an enlarged view, in .front elevation, of the carswitch and the auxiliary electric motor used in operating the car-switch automatically. Fig. 9, Sheet 3, is an enlarged View, in side elevation, of the car-switch attached to the side of the car, and a section of one side of the hoistway with safety-stop attached.

Similar figures and letters refer to similar parts throughout the several views.

The base 19 and the standards 20, 21, 49, and form the bed of the machine. The electric motor 1, being secured to the wormshaft 2, gives motion in either direction directly to the worm-shaft 2, which has fastened 011 it the worm 3, meshing into the wormwheel 4, which is fastened to the drum-shaft 5, with bearings 25 and 26 in standards 20 and 21,which drum-shaft has fastened to it the hoisting-drum 6, and causes the hoistingdrum 6 to revolve, thereby winding or unwinding the hoisting-cables 7 and hoisting or lowering the elevator-car 8. The electric brakemotor 9, giving motion directly to the brakeworm 11, meshing into the swinging wormsegment 12, which is pivoted at point 13, and has attached to it at points 14 and 15 the brake-strap 16, causes the brakestrap 1.6 to grip the brake-wheel 17,whercupon the brakewhcel 17, being attached to the hoisting wormshaft 2, stops the motion of the said hoisting worm-shaft 2 when the electric hoisting-motor 1 is not in operation. To the standard is attached the bracket 22, carrying the feather 23 and the flat face 24. On the portion of the drum-shaft extending beyond the bearing 25 a thread 80 is cut, along which travels a nut 27, carrying insulated arms and 31, and which is prevented from turning by means of the feather 23 and a slot 28 let into the nut 27 On. the bracket-face 2-i are located the machine top and bottom automatic stop contactpoints 32, 33, and 3iand the double-polarity switch 35, having arms 36, 37, and 38, the switch being pivoted at the point 39 and kept in mid-position by means of the springs to and 41. The insulated arms 30 and 31, carried by the traveling nut 27, are so arranged as to engage with the switch-arm 38 when the nut 27 is at the ends of its travel, and thereby, in a manner to be hereinafter explained, cause the motion of the elevator-car to be reversed whenever it attempts to pass the upper or lower limits of its travel, and thus prevent accident when from any cause the operator in the car should forget to operate the carswitch. On a plate a2, fastened to the machine-bed 19, are located the intermediate automatic stop contact-points 4-3 and 44 and the switch 5,having arms it, 47, and t3, the switch 45 being pivot-ed at the point 51, and kept in mid-position by means of the spring 52. The switch 4-5 is so arranged as to be struck by an insulated tip 76 on the end of lever 53, which lever 53 is fulcrumed at point 54, and has arms 55 and 56 extending along the bottom of the drum (3, and thereby, in a manner to be hereinafter explained, cause the downward motion of the elevator-car to be reversed, and prevent accident when from any cause the downward progress of the elevator-car is impeded by an obstruction. while the machine is in motion, thereby causing the cables 7 to unwind from the drum, the weight of which, falling on the arms 55 and 56, causes the lever 53 to tip.

In the elevator-car S are arranged the contact-points 61, 62, 63, 64, 65,66, (37, 68, and 60, (in electrical connection with the electric motors,) and the switch 57, which may be operated either by hand,by means of the handle 58, or the small auxiliary electric motor 59, the motor 59 having on its armatureshai't a pinion G0, which gears into the toothed segment 7 O, the toothed segment 70, the switch 57, and the handle 58 all being on the same shaft 71. The multiple switch 57 has four contact-arms 72, 73, 74-, and 75. I

All the switches are made with bodies of non-condueting material and arms of conductin g material.

The operation of the machine is as follows: The battery-wire c is connected with the intermediate stop contact-points i3 and at, the top and bottom stop contact-points 32, 33, and 34, and the car-switch contact-points 61, 62, 63, Get, (35, (36, 0'7, 68, and 69. The machinemotor 1 wire a is connected with the carswitch arms 7t and 75, the arms 7i and 75 being composed of metallic strips of dillferent electrical. resistances insulated from each other and each strip joined to wire a. The outer strips of each arm possess the highest elcctrical resistance and the center ones the least, the object being that when only partial contact of the arms 7 -.l. and 751s made with the contact-points (iii, (32, and ($3 the amount of current admitted to the machinemotor 1 is limited by the resistance of the outer strips, and consequently full. speed not attained. \Yhen, however, full contact is made between the arms 7i and 75 and the contactpoints (31, 62, andv 03, the full current is admitted to the motor fl and the correspondin g speed attained. The velocity of the motor, and consequently of the elevator-car, is thus controlled in the car. The brakemotor wire Z) is connected to the switch-arms 72 and 73. The auxiliary car-switch motor is connected to the top and bottom automatic switch-arms 3(5 and 37 and. to the iu tern'iediate automatic switch-arms iii and 4-7. \Vith the car-switch in the mid-position, as shown in the diagram, Sheet 3, Fig. 8, all. the circuits are open except the brake-motor eir cuit l), the cz'tr-switch arms 72 and 73 being in contact, respectively, with the battery contactpoints and (58. The motor 1 is consequently at rest and the brake on. The switchhandle 58 being now moved to the right, contact is made between the battery-wi res c and the motor-wires a at the contact-points ()2 and (i3 and the machine started to hoist the elevator-car. At the same time the brakemotor connection with the battery is broken at the contact-points (l5 and (J8 and made again at the contact-points U6 and 69,thereby rev'ersing the direction of the current to the brake-motor 9 and taking the brake olli'. The elevator-car now ascending has reached its upper limit and attempts to pass it, when the insulated arm 30 on nut 27 strikes the switch arm 38, thereby making connection between the auxiliary car-switch motor 59 and the battery, through the switch-mans 36 and 37 and contact-points and 33, thus giving motion to the motor of!) and altering the position of the car-switch until arms 7% and 75 make contact with contact-points (32 and 61, respectively, thereby reversing the direction of the current to the motor I1. and cause the elevator-car to descend. At the same time the connections between the brake-motor wires b and the battery-wires c are broken at contact-points (it; and if) and made again at points 6-1 and 67, the direction of current to the brake-motor bein the same and the brake remaining ell. The descend i ng car now meets ITO an obstructionsuch as a projection into the hoistway-whic]1 causes it to stop, the machine, however, still being in motion and unwinding the hoisting-ropes. The slack ropes fall onto the arms and 56 of the rocking lever 53, and, causing it to tip, the insulated tip 76 strikes the switch 45, and connection is made between the battery-wires c and the auxiliary switch-motor 59 wires (1 at the points 43 and 44, thus causing the motor 59 to operate and reverse the switch and cause the elevator-car to ascend. The obstruction being removed an d the car started downward, by placing the switch in the third position cited, the car finally reaches its lower limit and attempts to pass it, whereupon the insulated arm 31 on the nut 27 strikes the switch-arm 38, and connection is made between the battery-wires c and the auxiliary switchmotor 59 wires at contact-points 33 and 34, and the car-switchis reversed and the elevatorcar started upward until brought to a stop by again placingthe car-switch in the position shown in Fig. 8, Sheet 3,by means of the handle 58.

As an additional set of automatic top and bottom stops, the shaft 71 is extended through the side of the elevator-car and a lever 77 attached to it, so as to come in contact with the oro'ection 78 when the elevator car attem ts to pass its upper limit, and thereby reverse the position of the switch and alter the direction of motion of the car. In the same manner, when the car attempts to pass its lower limit, the lever 77 comes in contactwith the stop 7 9, and the switch is again reversed and the direction of the motion of the car altered.

I am aware that prior to my invention winding-drums driven by worm and gear, bandbrakes, electric motors, and mechanically-op erated top and bottom automatic stops have been made and applied in connection with elevating machinery, and that in my application for a patent for an improvement in elevating-machines filed August 10, 1888, Serial No. 282,477, I have claimed the combination of two separate electric motors on the same shaft, and a winding-drum, a bandbrake operated by an electric motor, a rocking lever operating an electric switch, and a traveling nut with insulated arms operating an electric switch. I therefore do not claim either of these specifically, but desire to broaden some of my former claims by embracing as much of them as is necessary in my present new combinations.

\Vhat I do claim, therefore, as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination, in an elevating-machine, of an electric motor and a windingdrum connected by a train of mechanism, a

reversible switch in the elevator-car, top and bottom and intermediate automatic stopswitches on the machine, a battery, and suitable electric connections between the machine-motor, car-switch, automatic switches, and battery, all substantially as set forth.

2. The combination, in an elevating-machine, of an electric motor and a windingdrum connected by a train of mechanism, a reversible switch'in the elevator-car, top and bottom and intermediate automatic stopswitches, springs to keep the automatic switches in mid-position, a traveling nut carryiug arms which engage with the top and bottom switch-arm, a rocking lever which engages with the intermediate automatic switch, a battery, and suitable electric connections between the machine-motor, car-switch, automatic switches, and battery, all substantially as set forth.

3. The combination, in an elevating-machine, of a reversible electric motor and a brake connected through a train of mechanism, a switch in the elevator-car, contactchine, of a reversible electric motor and a winding-drum connected through a train of mechanism, a reversible electric motor and a band-brake connected through a train of mechanism, a reversible electric motor and a switch in the elevator-car connected through a train of mechanism, top and bottom and intermediate stop-switches on the machine, a traveling nut carrying insulated arms which engage with the top and bottom automatic stop-switch, a rocking lever which operates in connection with the intermediate stopswitch, a lever which engages with projecting tappets on the sides of the elevator-hoistway, suitable contact-points, and a battery, the electric motors, switches, and contact-points having suitable electric connections, all substantially as described.

Signed at Brooklyn,in the county of Kings and State of New York, this 3d day of January, A. D. 1889. 1

JAMES EDIVIN BYRNE.

\Vitncsses:

FRANK C. WATTS, CHARLES IT. RAYE. 

